What is the structural formulae for the equation for the hydrolysis of lactose?
To determine the structural formula for the hydrolysis of lactose, we first need to understand the composition of lactose and the process of hydrolysis.
Lactose is a disaccharide sugar found in milk and dairy products. It consists of two monosaccharides - glucose and galactose - joined together by a glycosidic linkage.
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which a compound is broken down by the addition of water. In the case of lactose, hydrolysis involves the breaking of the glycosidic linkage between glucose and galactose, resulting in the formation of individual glucose and galactose molecules.
To write the structural formula for the hydrolysis of lactose, we can represent lactose as:
Galactose - (α1-4) - Glucose
Where the α1-4 indicates the position of the glycosidic linkage between galactose and glucose.
During hydrolysis, water (H2O) is added to the lactose molecule, leading to the breaking of the glycosidic linkage and the formation of glucose and galactose molecules.
The structural formula for the hydrolysis of lactose can be represented as:
Galactose + H2O → Glucose + Galactose
So, the structural formula for the hydrolysis of lactose is:
C12H22O11 + H2O → C6H12O6 + C6H12O6
In this equation, C12H22O11 represents lactose, H2O represents water, C6H12O6 represents glucose, and C6H12O6 represents galactose.